HVAC/R systems are now commonly found in residential and commercial buildings throughout the world. A typical refrigeration or air conditioning system includes a condenser, a compressor, an evaporator and an expansion device that are connected together with piping. Generally, the piping consists of an insulated suction line and an uninsulated liquid line. A refrigerant flows through both lines. Several methods for installing and supporting the piping are known in the art.
A common technique for supporting the piping is to tape the uninsulated line to the uninsulated liquid line in several places using tape. To support the lines, a metal strap is fixed under the taped lines and is secured to a horizontal surface such as a ceiling or a floor joist. This technique has several limitations. First, when the lines are taped together, the insulation of the insulated line can be crushed which reduces its insulating properties. Second, the metal strap which supports the line combination makes contact with and corrodes the liquid line. Finally, the installation technique is cumbersome and time-consuming as technicians must tape the lines together and hoist them to the ceiling while fixing the support straps to the ceiling.
Plastic supports for supporting piping are also known in the art. A commonly used support consists of a saddle for supporting a single insulated pipe. This type of support lacks the ability to support the liquid line resulting in a technician having to use electrical tape as described above.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improvements in the art.